The Importance of a Roof Inspection in Canterbury, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, and Cardiff
Every roofing project must have a building regulations application. If you are applying for a permission for something that is potentially a serious structural alteration to your roof, then the entire roof would have to undergo a thorough inspection.
Failing to arrange a structural appraisal could leave you open to some pretty awful future property problems. The absolutely worst outcome could involve the very structural integrity of your roof being compromised – that is, if people are living upstairs, the roof (and sloping sections of it) could be sagging and teetering on the brink of total collapse. The main insecure members of the roof could be in a state of such physical decay that they're on the verge of failing completely.
Conditions that Necessitate a Roof Survey
A roof survey may be necessary if your property exhibits any of the following conditions:
Inside
- Streaks in wood: these suggest that mould is growing in the rafters because moisture is leaking through the roof.
- Sagging: if the roof is starting to bend, you may have serious structural support issues that will ordinarily require a new roof.
- Leaking water: this may be due to broken tiles or open joints in the lead flashing.
- Leaking light: If there is visible light entering the roof space, you may have a few holes or cracks in the roofing.
Outside
The following issues may necessitate roof repair or replacement:
- Damaged tiles: these may be cracked, slipped, or missing, and, if so, they will need to be fixed or replaced.
- Age: a roof more than 20 years old generally needs to be replaced.
- Moss and mould: these typically indicate moisture damage, which may compromise the roof.
- Gutters full of debris: if your gutters have pieces of roof tile or shingle in them these need clearing out.
- Ponding: if water on the roof isn't draining away, there's a good chance the roof isn't functioning properly.
- Guttering coming loose: this can be a function of bad design or installation and may be affecting the ability of the roof to do its job.
- Loose flashing: this will need to be fixed if the roof is going to have any chance of remaining watertight.
- Seeing undulations: if you see dips or bulges in the roof, or if you see your eaves sagging, you have a serious problem that requires immediate attention.